Jones hails Hatters’ ‘magnificent’ away display at Carlisle

Mike Simmonds

Luton Town manager Nathan Jones hailed his side’s ‘magnificent’ away performance as they triumphed 2-1 at Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

The visitors made it back-to-back victories on the road after beating Oxford United 3-2 at the weekend, as Jones said: “I’m really, really pleased. It was hard fought, it’s a difficult place to come to, they’ve got play-off aspirations as well as us and it was a difficult game.

Luton clear the danger once more at Brunton Park

“But we handled what, they’re a nice footballing side but we were disciplined, we had very little problems.

“We had the better chances in the first half, so the game plan worked and we got a well-taken goal.

“Then they came out and went purely contrasting to the first half and went direct, as I think they did in the home fixture, if I remember, so that followed a pattern.

“We got the goal and probably could have made it easier for ourselves but a bit of sloppy play, which we have to eradicate because we could have been a lot more comfortable if we’d have done that than that, but we didn’t.

“However, I’m just delighted because it’s a magnificent away performance and a win.”

The victory meant it was now seven wins from nine on the road for Jones since taking over, compared to three triumphs on home soil in that time, as he continued: “They’re showing some real character, I can’t defend Stevenage but we’ve really tried to play at home, we’ve tried to win games, it’s just sometimes it doesn’t happen.

“Away from home it has, maybe because they’ve got more space to play, maybe sides are a little bit more ambitious on their patch, so that leaves space for us to exploit.

The Luton boss was also paid a big compliment to his defence, as although they were breached by Jack Stacey’s strike on the hour, centre halves Glen Rea and Alan Sheehan in particular stood out, especially when United resorted to pumping long balls to Charlie Wyke and Jabo Ibehre in the second period.

Jones added: “I thought my back four and my goalkeeper were magnificent.

“If you want to come out and try and press them everywhere, then they have players who can hurt you as they haven’t been where they are for the majority of the season and they’re not a bad side.

“We restricted them to minimal efforts for long periods. It was only, as this league does, when sides have two big ones (strikers) and they go boom town, as we call it, and put it up there, anything can happen.

“Then it’s random events. I thought we handled that very, very well though. Our centre halves are not the biggest but they’re the bravest.

“They competed, they grafted, my keeper helped them out, the full backs were tight – it was a good, good performance.”